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Businesses that collect cash and checks from their customers need to make regular bank deposits to transfer these funds to a checking account. Overnight bank deposits provide more security for collected cash and checks than a safe or your cash register. Generally, banks that offer business checking accounts also let you make deposits at automated teller machines. Although overnight deposit services that banks provide are less convenient than ATMs, making large business deposits at an ATM also has disadvantages.

Overnight Deposit Procedures

Businesses need a commercial or business account to use a bank's overnight deposit facility. Generally, after you open your account, the bank will give you a key to open the secured drop box on the exterior of the building at that branch. Your bank will also require that you place your checks, cash, credit and debit card receipts in a special bag with a lock. You also include deposit slips in this bag. These services often require that you pay a monthly fee.

Overnight Deposit Processing

A manager or specially trained commercial teller collects your bag from the depository. The agreement between you and your bank determines who opens the bag and counts its contents. Normally, your bank gives you the option of leaving the bag unopened until you're present at the bank. This delays the posting of the funds to your account, but it speeds the resolution of any accounting errors by you or the bank and prevents disputes. When the agreement with your bank allows it, the bank opens your bag and processes your night deposit during its next business day, in accordance with Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation regulations.

ATM Deposits Processing

When you use your bank's ATM to make a deposit to a business bank account, the FDIC requires that the bank post the deposit to your account on the day that you made it, unless it's after the bank's business day cutoff time. By law, every U.S. bank must display its same-day deposit cutoff time on its ATMs. When the ATM is on the bank's property, ATM deposits during the bank's business hours are same-day deposits. Your bank's off-site ATMs that do not have daily collections must have a notice that informs you of the processing times for any deposits that you make in these machines. The FDIC requires that the bank credit your account on the pickup day at an offsite ATM, not the day of your deposit.

ATM Deposit Considerations

Depositing large amounts of cash or numerous checks into an ATM might attract unwanted attention from criminals who watch ATMs. Some bank ATMs have limits on the number of checks that you can deposit at one time. ATMs also accept a limited number of bills at once. You cannot deposit coins and might not be able to deposit credit and debit card receipts into an ATM. Deposits to ATMs can attract additional fees if your bank limits the number of free ATM transactions for business accounts.